Office for Mac Issues

Fix Word Share to Email Attachment Not Working on Mac

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to share a Word document as an email attachment on a Mac.

How to Fix Word Share to Email Attachment Not Working on Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Attempting to share a document directly from the Word desktop application as an email attachment.
Observed behavior: Clicking the Share command only plays an alert sound and fails to open the default email client to compose a new message.

Before you start

Ensure you are using the desktop version of Microsoft Word rather than Word for the Web, and verify that your Mac is actively connected to the internet.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure System Internet Accounts and Default Email App

Ensure your Mac recognizes a properly configured default email application to handle Word's share requests.

macOS relies on the system's default email reader to process share commands from applications like Word. If no default is set, or the account is missing, the action will fail.

Open System Settings

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).

Check Internet Accounts

Navigate to Internet Accounts and verify your primary email account is added, active, and authenticated.

Set Default Email Client

Open the built-in Apple Mail app, go to Mail > Settings > General in the top menu bar, and confirm the 'Default email reader' is set to your preferred email application (e.g., Mail, Outlook).

Restart and Test

Restart your Mac to apply the configuration changes, then open your document in Word and try the Share to Email command again.

Configure System Internet Accounts and Default Email App

Solution 2

Update Software and Reset Word Preferences

Resolve underlying communication bugs between Word and macOS by updating software and clearing corrupted preference files.

Seamlessly Share Documents on Mac

Use WPS Office to Share Documents via Email on Mac

If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with sharing attachments, try WPS Office. It features a reliable, built-in email sharing function that seamlessly integrates with macOS default email clients, ensuring your documents get sent without frustration.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office on your Mac and open the text document you want to send.
2. Click the Share Button: Locate and click the 'Share' icon in the top-right corner of the application toolbar.
3. Choose Email Attachment: Select the 'Email' option. WPS Office will instantly package the document and open a new draft in your default Mac email application.

Directly share documents as email attachments with one click.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) document formats.Lightweight architecture optimized for macOS performance.Free to download and use with a highly familiar user interface.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word only make a ping sound when I click Share to Email?

This sound indicates an error where macOS cannot find a valid default email application to handle the request, or Microsoft Word lacks the necessary system permissions to communicate with the email client.

Can I use third-party email apps like Outlook or Gmail with the Share feature?

Yes, you can use third-party desktop apps like Microsoft Outlook, provided they are set as the default email reader in Apple Mail's General settings. However, web-based clients (like Gmail in a browser) cannot be directly triggered by Word's desktop Share command.

What should I do if reinstalling Office doesn't fix the email attachment issue?

If a full reinstallation does not work, the issue likely resides within your macOS system configuration or user profile. Try creating a new user account on your Mac to test the feature, or verify your Internet Accounts settings in macOS System Settings.

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